The Qualitative Landscape of Information Literacy Research: Perspectives, Methods and Techniques

Information literacy has become established as a core research topic in the library and information science field. An extensive range of research has been undertaken and there is a burgeoning corpus of literature created by academic researchers, library practitioners, and other researchers who explore information literacy through their own disciplinary lens. Investigations into information literacy have drawn from a variety of methodologies and applied a range of methods and techniques to explore information literacy as it is enacted in a wide range of contexts.

The Qualitative Landscape of Information Literacy Research: Perspectives, Methods and Techniques describes this research landscape, identifying the core qualitative approaches applied in the research of information literacy and less used or innovative applications. To achieve balance, the book also addresses, but to a lesser extent, quantitative and mixed method approaches to information literacy research. The book identifies key theories, methodologies and methods that have been used to shape our knowledge of information literacy and the approaches we apply to its investigation. The central aim of the book is to develop and support readers understanding of how information literacy research and teaching is framed, developed and produced. In each chapter, key examples are given about how theory, types of pedagogical frameworks, methods, and tools have been used. Coverage includes

• situating information literacy research;
• informing information literacy research;
• framing information literacy pedagogy;
• qualitative methods;
• quantitative and mixed method approaches;
• data collection;
• planning for research; and
• evaluating information literacy research.

This book will be of value to researchers already engaged in researching the information literacy landscape; for students who are developing or undertaking research or simply interested in identifying approaches to information literacy; and practitioners who want to investigate the practice of information literacy to create an evidence base to support information literacy in their workplaces or institutions. Practitioners and students who are new to information literacy research and its application will find this book a useful tool to help them evaluate existing information literacy research.